Review: Action Comics #996

Having
escaped the destruction of Krypton, Superman and Booster Gold have found
themselves on New Krypton, ruled by General Zod. Needing to repair their
timeship, they make their way into the city where they discover an enslaved
population. Their subterfuge is quickly exposed, and coming to join the fray is
none other than Lor-Zod, the now grown son of General Zod.

Spoiler?
Hardly. It’s right there on the cover. But it would have been nice if it hadn’t
been, and Lor-Zod’s identity is obscured until the final page. So it’s a
spoiler DC gave away themselves.

MEANWHILE…
Lois has infiltrated the nation of Logamba, where her father is scheduled to be
executed. Though she seems to have ample help from the local underground,
watching her back is her super-powered son Jonathan, whom she believes is safe
back in Metropolis. To his credit, the boy is keeping a low profile, waiting
until he’s genuinely needed before revealing his presence. In these types of
stories, the kid usually rushes in too early and becomes a liability.

There have
been rumors of the Watchmen characters being folded into the main DC Universe. I’d
rather they didn’t, but I know I’m in the minority. Regardless, I do hope that
the fast approaching Action Comics #1,000 has the opportunity to stand alone,
rather than become the setting for yet another over-hyped DC event. It would be
like having your 50th birthday co-opted by your distant cousin’s
graduation.